Method of packaging and dispensing confectioneries



A. c: WOOD 2,053,545

METHOD OF PACKAGING AND DISPENSING CONFECTIONERIES 7 Sept. 8, 1936.

Original Filed Jan. 5, 1934 AVE 571* andrezlf 6. %ad.

Patented Sept. 8, 1936 UNlTED STATES PATENT OFFICE Andrew C. Wood, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Vorteir Cup Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of.

Illinois Original application January 5, 1934, Serial No.

Divided and this application August 5, 1935, Serial No. 34,773

Claims.

This invention relates to the packaging and dispensing of confectioneries aind more particularly to a method of packaging and dispensing confectioneries such, for example, as ice cream in a sanitary cup of paper or similar material.

The subject matter hereof has been divided from my copending patent application, Serial No. 705,305, filed January 5, 1934, which in turn embodies subject matter divided from the application which issued into my United States Letters Patent No. 1,964,238, entitled Cup for and method of packaging confectioneries, granted June 26, 1934.

The practice of dispensing small portions of frozen confectioneries such as ice cream in cones I and dishes for immediate consuming by the purchaser has recently undergone a change from the old method of scooping a ball of ice cream from a bulk container and disposing it in a dish or edible cone. The newer practice consists in freezing the confection in a cup of paper or similar material and subsequently removing the cup from the confection when the latter is served. Such practice is very sanitary .and insures that each purchaser receives the proper amount. Some dimculty has been experienced in the practice of the newer method, namely, that an attendant serving the confection would frequently contact the confection with his naked hand or fingers while removing the cups. In other instances, the cup or container was more than desirably dimcult to remove from the confection,.and in still other instances, means other than the container in which the confection was frozen had to be employed for best results to hold or support theconfection while the container was being removed.

With the foregoing in mind, it is an object of this invention to provide 2. new method of packaging and dispensing a confection such as ice cream in such a manner that the confection is contained in a sanitary cup which is removed from the confection very readily and without any danger of the attendants hand coming in contact with the confection.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a method of dispensing a frozen confection consisting of freezing the confection in a cup of paper or similar material and subsequently stripping the cup upwardly from the bottom thereof to free the frozen confection.

A still further object of this invention is the provision of a method of dispensing a frozen confection, consisting of forming .a blank into a cup of a given shape, freezing the confection within the cup, and subsequently restoring the blank to its original shape, thereby freeing the confection.

It is also an aim of this invention to provide a novel method 0 packaging and dispensing a. frozen confection consisting of providing a blank having a. tear tab projecting therefrom, forming the blank into a cup, freezing the confection in the cup, and subsequently freeing the confection by a simple pull upon the tear tab.

Still a further object if this invention is the provision of a method oi packaging and dispensing 10 a frozen confection in a cup of paper or similar material using a cover over the confection in the container, and so mounting the cover in position that when the container is stripped from the confection, the cover is automatically removed with 15 the container.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a cup for the packaging and dispensing of a frozen confection, said cup having a cover thereon attached to the cup in such a manner as to be automatically removable with the cup when the cup is stripped from the frozen confection.

While some of the more salient features, characteristics, and advantages of a method embodying this invention have been pointed out above, others will become apparent from the following disclosure.

The invention includes these and other process steps, a method of accomplishing the present invention being shown in the drawing, as more 30 particularly indicated by the claims.

On the drawing:

Figure 1 shows a plan view of a form of blank that may be used in performing the present invention.

Figure 2 is an elevational view, partly in section, and disclosing a more advanced stage of the method, showing the blank formed into a cu containing a frozen confection.

Figure 3 is an elevational view similar to Figure 2, showing the blank partially stripped from the confection.

Figure 4 is a reduced elevational view illustrating the freeing of the confection from the blank and the disposition of the same into an 45 ice cream cone.

Figure 5 is a reduced fragmentary view similar to Figure 2, showing a modified cap in use.

An shown on the drawing:

In the structure arbitrarily selected to illus- 5Q trate the performance of the present method, there is shown a blank 5, preferably made of paper of the character used in paper drinking cups, but which may be made of any suitable material. The blank illustrated is designed to be 55 while edge 1 is slightly curved inwardly to facilitate manufacture.

These edges 1 and 8 terminate at their inner extremities in a curved lateral extension or stripping tab 9 which is substantially flush with edge 8, but projects outwardly away from edge 1.

Along one of the side edges of the blank, in this instance side edge I, a tab of glue or adhesive ID of any suitable character is disposed for uniting overlapping, marginal portions of the blank as best seen in Figure 2. Inasmuch as the blank and cup to be formed'therefrom is especially adapted for use in connection with frozen confection, such as ice cream, it will of course beappreciated that it is not necessary to provide a seal along the entire overlapping margins of the cup. It is also unnecessary to provide a seal at the apex of the cup, since the confection is'preferably deposited in the cup in a semi-liquid state and will not seek a way out of the cup through the unglued portion. The

absence of the glue near the apex of the cup also leaves the stripping tab entirely free where it may be more easily taken hold of and the cup stripped from the frozen confection more readily.

In practicing the present method, the blank 5 is rolled into a conical cup as seen in Figures 2 and 3. The rolling operation may be effected by any suitable equipment such, for example, as is now in use in the manufacture of conical paper drinking cups. It will be seen that after the cup is formed, with the overlapping marginal portion adjacent edges 1 and 8 held together by the glue ill, the stripping tab 9 projects away from the body of the cup where it is readily accessible.

The next step is to place a confection H, such as ice cream, in the cup, filling the cup to a desired extent. The confection is preferably put in the cup in a partially frozen or semi-liquid condition.

This confection II is frozen to a desirable extent while in the formed cup, assuming the position shown in Figures 2 and 3.

Either before or after the freezing operation, as may be deemed more feasible, a cover l2, if the same is desired, is placed over the confection II, and this cover is preferably secured along its marginal edge as indicated at l3 to the blank. For securing the cover, a glue is preferably used which is sufllcient in its adhesive characteristics to prevent ready separation of the cover from the blank. The glue may be applied to the cover partially or entirely around the edge thereof.

When the foregoing has been accomplished, the confection packed in the sanitary container is ready for distribution and may be shipped to the retail shop packed in ice.

When making a sale, it is a simple expedient for the confectionery dealer to hold the container in one hand, grasp the stripping tab 9 with the other hand, and, by pulling upon this tab, strip the blank or cup from the confection, the marginal porticns of the blank held by the adhesive i0 readily separating, since this adhesive is of such an amount and character as to hold the blank in cup formation, but is insufilcient to preclude ready separation of the marginal portions. When the marginal portions of the blank have been separated, the confection slides readily out of the now open cup into an edible cone M or any other device from which it is to be consumed by the purchaser. Of course, the cone I4 may be held in a suitable holder if desired.

As seen better in Figure 5, a different cover i211. may be used, if a cover is deemed necessary. This cover l2a is preferably provided with an upwardly extending flange l5, and the cover is preferably spaced above the confection ll so as not to contact the confection. The flange I5 is glued or otherwise attached to the blank 5, and is preferably attached to the blank throughout a portion of the circumference of the flange IS in a manner to preclude ready separation. That portion of the flange adjacent the overlapped marginal portions of the blank is preferably free from the blank or very lightly attached thereto, so as not to interfere with the separation of such marginal portions and the suiiicient expanding of the blank during the stripping operation.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that, in the present invention, it is not necessary to actually tear the blank in stripping it from the confection. When the marginal edges are separated, the blank merely assumes its original form and the confection slips off the blank.-

If the cover l2has been used, and glued to the blank, as mentioned hereinabove, this cover will be automatically removed from the confection and adhere to the blank during the stripping operation, as indicated in Figure 4.

From the practice of the present method, it will be apparent that the purchaser is assured of absolute cleanliness relative to the product he is buying, and is also assured of receiving the same measure of confection as is being dispensed to other customers at the same price. It will also be noted that the confectionery dealer is provided with a simple and very rapid sanitary method of serving the confection to the purchaser.

Now I, of course, desire it understood that, although I have illustrated one form of apparatus by which the present invention may be carried out, and described in detail the preferred procedure of the method, the invention is not to be thus limited, but only in so far as defined by the scope and spirit of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. The method of dispensing a frozen confection such as ice cream in a cup made from a paper blank, which consists in forming the blank into a cup of a given shape, holding said blank in said shape by securing overlapping portions of the blank together with adhesive of such amount and character as to hold the cup in shape but being insufiicient to preclude ready separation of the glued surfaces when the blank is stripped from a confection therein, filling the cup while in said shape with a confection such as ice cream, freezing the confection in the cup and thereafter dispensing the ice cream by stripping the cup off the confection.

2. The method of dispensing a frozen confection such as ice cream in a cup made from a blank having a stripping tab projecting laterally from one side of the marginal edges of the blank, which consists in forming the blank into a cup of a given shape, holding such blank in said shape by securing overlapping marginal portions of the blank together with an adhesive of such an amount and character as to hold the cup in shape but being insuflicient to preclude ready separation of the glued marginal portions when the blank is stripped from the confectionery filling the cup while in such shape with a confection such as ice cream mix, freezing the confection in the cup and thereafter stripping the cup off the confection by pulling said tab to separate said glued portions. 1

3. The method of dispensing a frozen confection such as ice cream in a cup made from a blank having a stripping tab projecting therefrom, consisting of forming the blank into a cup of a given shape, holding such blank in said shape by securing overlapping marginal portions of the blank together with an adhesive of such amount and character as to hold the cup in shape but being insufficient to preclude ready separation of the glued marginal portions when the blank is stripped from the confection therein, filling the cup while in such shape with a confection such 'as ice cream mix, freezing the confection in the cup, supporting said frozen confection solely by said cup and stripping the cup off the confection by pulling said tab to separate the glued marginal portions, permitting the confection to slip out of the now opened cup.

4. The method of dispensing a frozen confection such as ice cream in a cup made from a paper blank having a stripping tab projecting therefrom, consisting of forming the blank into a cup of a given shape, holding the blank in said shape by securing overlapping marginal portions of the blank together with an adhesive of such amount and character as to hold the cup. in shape but being insufficient to preclude ready separation of the glued marginal portions when the blank is stripped from the confection therein, filling the cup to a predetermined extent while in such shape with a confection such as ice cream mix, freezing the confection, in the cup, and thereafter pulling said tab to loosen said glued marginal portions and restore said blank to its original form thereby freeing said confection in its frozen state. I

5. The method of packaging and dispensing a frozen confection such as ice cream in a cup formed from a blank, consisting of forming the blank into a cup of a given shape, holding said blank in such shape by securing overlapping marginal portions of the blank together with an adhesive of such amount and character as to hold the cup in shape but being insuflicient to preclude ready separation of said marginal portions when the blank is stripped from a confection therein, freezing a confection such as ice cream mix in the cup, applying a cover over the confection before or after the freezing and securing said cover at least partially therearound to the formed blank sufficiently to preclude ready separation thereof, and subsequently stripping the cup from the frozen confection, said cover being automatically removed with said cup.

ANDREW C. WOOD. 

